15 Engineering Summer Programs for High School Students in New York State
If you’re a high school student thinking about engineering but not fully sure what it involves, a summer program can help you figure that out before college. These programs combine classroom instruction with lab sessions, allowing you to spend time with engineering subjects instead of just reading about them, and help you build research and analytical skills. You also gain exposure to college-level learning environments, mentorship from faculty or industry professionals, and the chance to collaborate with peers who share your interests.
Why should you participate in an engineering summer for high school students in New York State?
New York State offers a wide range of engineering summer programs through colleges, universities, and technical institutions. These programs offer lectures, lab sessions, and design challenges across different engineering disciplines, helping you explore your academic interests and develop your profile. Students based in New York may benefit from nearby options, while students from outside the state may choose these programs to explore academic institutions and engineering pathways.
To help you explore strong options, we’ve put together a list of 15 engineering summer programs for high school students in New York State!
If you're looking for STEM programs in New York State, check our blog here.
1. Simons Summer Research Program - Stony Brook University
Location: Stony Brook, NY
Cost: Free; students cover dining/transportation or housing if residential
Dates: June 29 - August 7
Application Deadline: Feb 5 (student materials); Feb 13 (teacher recs)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens/permanent residents in 11th grade; at least 16 years old
The Simons Summer Research Program is a six-week experience where you work inside a Stony Brook research lab and contribute to real academic research. You are matched with a faculty mentor and join an active research group, often in areas like materials science, biomedical engineering, computer engineering, or applied math. Rather than observing, you take on a defined project, learn lab or research methods, and work alongside graduate students while getting used to the pace and expectations of a university research setting. Along the way, you attend weekly seminars and workshops that introduce current research topics and help you understand how academic work is shared and evaluated.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by the program. Need-based financial aid is available. You can apply here.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects. Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, you will get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that you will have access to the in-house publication team to help you secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
3. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) — NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Free + stipend ($500–$1,000 upon completion)
Dates: Remote: June 2–27; In-person: June 30–Aug 7
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: NYC 10th-11th graders with strong academics; students from underrepresented groups encouraged
ARISE is a six-week research program at NYU Tandon, where you work inside active engineering and science labs on campus. You are placed with faculty and graduate researchers and take on real research tasks in areas like biomedical engineering, civil and urban systems, aerospace engineering, materials chemistry, or computational engineering. The work is structured like a lab apprenticeship, so you learn how research groups function day to day while contributing to ongoing projects rather than practice exercises. The program ends with a formal research presentation where you explain your work and process.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program - Engineering Track
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies by cohort. Full financial aid is available!
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. The program pairs high school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as engineering, physics, data science, computer science, chemistry, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
5. Arete Education - STEM Internship Pathway
Location: Multiple NYC boroughs (Mott Haven, Harlem, Brooklyn)
Cost: Paid internship
Dates: Varies by term (year-round placements)
Application Deadline: Varies by the cohort
Eligibility: NYC students in grades 8-12 and recent graduates
Arete’s STEM Internship Pathway is a paid program where you work in real engineering and tech settings while supporting schools across New York City. You gain hands-on experience with coding, hardware setup, troubleshooting, and team-based technical problem solving while working alongside engineers, programmers, and technicians. As part of the Mouse Squad, you help teachers, students, and families with real technology needs, while also taking structured technical courses through partnerships with groups like Google, the NYC DOE, and STEM 101.
6. HK Maker Lab - Engineering Design for Health
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Dates: July 6 - August 7
Application Deadline: Dec 5 (priority); Jan 7 (Regular)
Eligibility: NYC public/charter students in grades 10-11 (graduates of 2027 or 2028); students from low-resource or high-need backgrounds
HK Maker Lab is a five-week engineering design program where you work on real problems at the intersection of engineering and public health. The first three weeks are spent with Columbia Engineering’s SHAPE program, where you learn core skills like prototyping, product design, and technical research through guided coursework and hands-on work in university labs. In the final two weeks, the program shifts into a Health Equity Hackathon, where you design engineering solutions for real medical and community health challenges. You work with mentors, use structured design frameworks, and see how engineering choices affect people directly. Completing the program also makes you eligible for NY Bioforce the following year, including access to a competitive paid internship and continued support.
7. Engineering the Next Generation (ENG)
Location: Columbia University, NYC
Stipend: Paid
Dates: July 6 - August 13
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising NYC seniors (current 11th graders); must attend a NYC school and meet work-eligibility requirements.
ENG is a six-week research program where you work inside Columbia Engineering labs alongside faculty, graduate researchers, and mentors. You spend most of your time contributing to ongoing projects in areas like biomedical engineering, environmental systems, urban technology, or computer science, while also building core research skills through focused workshops. The work is real lab work, so you learn how research teams operate and how problems are approached in practice. The program offers two paths. The Foundations of Research track introduces you to research methods across engineering fields, while the Center for Smart Streetscapes track focuses on urban data and technology used in real city environments.
8. Summer Engineering Awareness Program
Location: Manhattan College, NYC
Cost: Free
Dates: 10-Day Program: July 6-10 & July 13-17; 6-Day Program 1: June 25-27 & June 29-July 1; 6-Day Program 2: July 20-24 & July 27
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors in the NYC metro area; program geared toward minority and female students
The Summer Engineering Awareness Program is a short, intensive introduction to engineering that has been running for decades. Over six or ten days, you rotate through hands-on labs in fields like chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, and mechanical engineering. You work on experiments tied to robotics, CAD, sustainability, and core engineering concepts, giving you a practical sense of how different disciplines actually differ. Alongside lab work, you hear from industry speakers, attend guest lectures, and go on field trips that show how engineering connects to real careers. The program also includes sessions on college admissions, scholarships, and financial aid.
9. Cooper Union Summer STEM
Location: New York, NY
Cost: 3-week = $1,950; 6-week = $3,950. Need-based aid available.
Dates: July 6 - August 13
Application Deadline: Applications open mid-December
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th graders can apply
Cooper Union’s Summer STEM program is a short, intensive introduction to engineering that mirrors early undergraduate coursework. You choose a three or six-week track and spend your time working on concrete projects, such as building embedded systems, fabricating components, analyzing data, or creating interactive work with physical computing. The focus stays on making and testing, not lectures, so you learn by solving real design problems with a team. All classes take place in person at Cooper Union’s East Village campus, where you use the school’s makerspaces, studios, and labs.
10. University at Buffalo - Chem-E Camp
Location: Amherst, NY (UB North Campus)
Cost: $400; need-based full scholarships available
Dates: August 11-15
Application Deadline: May 30
Eligibility: Rising 11th-12th graders; must have completed or be enrolled in Regents Chemistry.
UB’s Chem-E Camp is a one-week program that introduces you to chemical engineering through hands-on labs, simulations, and guided activities. You spend time inside UB’s chemical and biological engineering facilities, working with faculty, current students, and industry mentors to understand how chemical engineering problems are approached and solved. The program also includes visits to major companies like Linde, DuPont, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and SAMCO, giving you a direct look at how chemical engineering shows up in real workplaces. By the end of the week, you will have spent time in both academic and industry settings.
11. NSLC – High School Summer Programs: Engineering
Location: Columbia in NY
Cost: Tuition ranges from $4,195–$5,950, depending on the campus chosen
Dates: 9-day session during summer (specific dates vary by campus)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students (typically rising sophomores to seniors)
NSLC’s High School Summer Engineering program introduces you to engineering through hands-on design and problem-solving rather than lectures. You work in teams on projects that draw from civil, mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering, such as building robots, designing drones, or exploring energy systems. The focus is on moving through the full design process, from defining a problem to building and testing a solution, with guidance from instructors and working professionals. Outside of project work, the program includes visits to engineering sites and behind-the-scenes tours that show how engineering work looks in real settings.
12. University of Rochester - Biomedical Engineering
Location: Online
Cost: $1,595
Dates: Multiple 2 and 4-week sessions year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students ages 13+
The University of Rochester’s online biomedical engineering course introduces you to how engineers design systems for the human body. You work through structured modules that show how biological systems are measured, how data is collected and analyzed, and how engineering principles are used to model things like muscle movement or heart function. The focus stays technical and grounded in how biomedical engineers actually think and work. The course follows the engineering design process using examples from prosthetics, medical devices, and diagnostic tools, then ends with a capstone project where you apply what you learned.
13. Northwestern Pre-College Online Program - Engineering
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895
Dates: Year-round sessions in 2- and 4-week formats (including Summer sessions)
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13+
Northwestern’s Pre-College Online Engineering program introduces you to engineering by focusing on how design decisions are actually made. You learn how engineers identify problems, explore possible solutions, build prototypes, and improve them through iteration. The program covers multiple fields, including civil, environmental, materials, mechanical, and biomedical engineering, showing how different disciplines approach the same challenge and often work together. You finish with a capstone project where you apply the full design process to a problem in an engineering area that interests you.
14. RICE University - Engineering: Solving Real-World Problems
Location: Online
Cost: $1,795
Dates: Multiple 2- and 4-week sessions throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13+
Rice University’s Engineering: Solving Real World Problems is an online course that shows you how engineers approach complex challenges across different fields. You work through modules in areas like chemical, biological, mechanical, electrical, computer, civil, and environmental engineering, building a broad view of how these disciplines connect and where they differ. The focus stays on how problems are framed and solved, not just on theory. It ends with a capstone project where you apply ideas from multiple fields to a problem you choose, reflecting how engineering teams collaborate in real settings.
Image source - RICE University Logo